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Emotional Eating​

My Story

By Dagny DesireePublished 6 years ago 3 min read
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Did you know eating chips can boost your serotonin levels in your brain thus making you feel happier? Yup, It’s true! I read along time ago that the crunch of chips or candy boosts the serotonin in your brain. I learned this when I was 17, and I started my journey of emotional eating. “During her research at MIT, Dr. Judith J. Wurtman, co-author of The Serotonin Power Diet, discovered why people binge on sweets or starchy carbohydrates to relieve depression, anxiety, or anger. They do it because it raises their brain serotonin levels, thus making them feel happier.” — from bebrainfit.com

Let's start at the beginning. I was always a depressed girl who was in and out of trouble. When I was 17, I moved away from my parents and into my ex-boyfriend's apartment. Which is when I thought life was going to get better. I was living with a guy I loved, and I was finally on my own. It turns out I was wrong. Don't get me wrong, I was happy to be on my own with no rules from my parents and free to do whatever I pleased. But I had made lots of mistakes I didn't finish school until years later, should have gone to college but didn't and got pregnant way too soon. I love my son to the moon and back, but I should have waited till I had my life a little more sorted out before I had him.

My depression had started getting worse and worse. We had gotten kicked out of the apartment building for too much noise complaints cause we partied lots and were loud teenagers. When that happened I spent a few nights on the couch of fantastic friends, then I, my ex-boyfriend and his best friend decided to live in a tent by the river. We couldn't keep couch surfing and figured it was for the best. I'm not sure how long we had stayed there, but I remember friends bringing us pizza and whiskey. Eventually, we ended up living in a camper on his father’s property just outside of town.

We stayed there for a couple of months and during that time his dad took care of us. We were unable to work cause we had no vehicle and I couldn't drive anyway. This was when my emotional eating started. I started eating a lot, mainly no-name cola and no name nacho chips. His dad would buy us a 24 case of cola and the bag of chips was like three times the size of a regular bag. The chips were so good, and I started noticing I was feeling better or not caring about being alone. I was usually alone out in the camper while my ex was off doing whatever he pleased. I was unable to get to town to hang out with my friends so I would watch Friends seasons, movies and munch out to dull the boredom.

Emotional eating is something I've never gotten over. I am now 28, and to this day I still eat when I am upset. I'll sit in front of the TV with a bowl of chips and some chocolate and eat till I feel better. I don't know how to comfort myself, and it's on my list of things to research. But PLEASE don't do what I do! I wrote this story to help others who feel like me that you're not alone! Maybe we should get help together!

Even though the crunch of chips and candy may boost my serotonin levels temporarily, I'm still sad in the end. It also creates another problem I know we all hate! Gaining weight!!!! Ugh!! I put on so much weight because of how I choose to deal with my emotions. Now I'm fighting an emotional eating problem, weight gain and still don't know how to comfort myself. So please save yourself the hassle and see a counselor or doctor before this becomes an issue for you too.

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About the Creator

Dagny Desiree

A broken soul trying to mend herself back together.

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